These Colors Are Memories
by gnbrules
Summary: These colors represent a lifetime of memories.  Each chapter is a quick oneshot with a color theme and one central character.  It has a little bit of everything.  Friendships, family, slight romance, and a bit of angst as well.
1. Shawn and Blue

**These Colors Are Memories**

**A/N: I saw a challenge over at psychfic stipulating the use of various colors for chapter themes. I'm not technically following the challenge, but I still wanted to use colors this way. Each chapter is a short oneshot somehow relating to color. The italics at the beginning of each chapter were taken from sites about the meanings of color. This was a really quick, spur of the moment idea. It may not be my best work, but it is fun and a cure to writer's block. There will be friendships, slight Shules romance towards the end, and a little unexpected angst to make it interesting.  
**

**Shawn and Blue**

_Blue is the most soothing shade of the spectrum._

They spend the summers of their childhood under clear blue sky and sunshine. They ride bikes and make up games, get into trouble and just wander as the sun looks down at them.

Sometimes, they spend entire afternoons laying in grass and staring into the endless blue above them. It's times like these when Shawn feels like he could fall upward, with Gus at his side, and just _float _away.

He can forget about his parents fighting and the cop training and the self-doubt, and can just smell grass and hang out with Gus and be happy.

At age nine, as they lay under the sky, he asks Gus, "Will we really be friends for our whole lives?"

"Of course," says Gus without missing a beat.

Years later, at eighteen, they can still be found under that same blue sky in the last days of summer, just as Gus is preparing for college and Shawn is preparing for the unknown. And Shawn asks again. "Hey, Gus...even though we're both leaving...we'll still be friends, right? Even when we're all old and my hair is gone and you have to use a walker?"

Gus snorts. "Of course."

And Shawn can only sigh contently, stare at the endless blue, and believe his best friend.


	2. Lassiter and Yellow

**Lassiter and Yellow**

_Yellow is a symbol of new life and is energizing and stimulating. _

The first word that comes to his mind when he meets her is _yellow. _It's a random and inexplicable thought to be sure, but it suits her. It wasn't just her blonde hair, either. Her personality was, and still is, nothing but daisies and sunshine, bubbly and spirited.

Lassiter hated the color yellow.

It was too bright. Obnoxious. Loud. It screamed, "I want attention, look at me!"

But he didn't hate O'Hara, not even in the beginning. Oh, sure, she irritated the hell out of him...but at least she was competent. She may have talked too much, but at least she didn't lose her temper on him or try to go above his head for anything.

Sometimes, he tried to squash the yellow out of her. He tried to crush her naivete, and make her see the world as _he_ saw it.

But other times, he really _didn't _want to.

It became a comfort. Reassuring.

Friendly.

When he needed her the most, she was there offering a hug or a high five or just a quick pat on his shoulder. It was nice to feel totally in sync with someone, for once.

His partner was yellow, and so she was someone to turn to when the darkness threatened to overwhelm him.

If anyone asks now, he still hates yellow (but he doesn't).

**A/N: These color and character combos are some of the last ones I would have expected...but I went with the writer's inspiration of the moment. It's kind of nice having the two partner sets up first, especially with last night's episode. Lol. Reviews = epic. **


	3. Henry and Red

**A/N: Basically the only chapter with a direct episode relation. Spoilers for Shawn Takes a Shot in the Dark. **

**Henry and Red**

_The color red represents anger. _

His son is bleeding.

Nothing new, to be sure.

But his son has never bled this much before.

His son has never been _shot_ before.

The blood is red and sticky and trailing down Shawn's shirt. When he helps to steady his weak son, Henry's hands come away stained red.

At the hospital, he thinks about the red on his hands and on Shawn's shoulder.

Henry thinks about how close he came to losing Shawn.

The thought terrifies him right down to the core, but he can't stand feeling that helpless, so he automatically transforms the worry and fear into something more manageable: anger.

How dare Shawn pull a stunt like this?

How dare he not wait for back-up?

By the time he's allowed to visit his son's room, he's worked himself into a tirade.

"Shawn, what the hell were you thinking? You _always _wait for back-up! Didn't you learn anything?"

Shawn manages a smirk. "It's nice to see you too, Dad."

Henry continues the lecture and doesn't stray from his rage, but on the inside, his relief is paramount.

Because, for now, everything is okay.

**A/N: And just like that, I've knocked off the primary colors...**


	4. Karen Vick and Pink

**Karen Vick and Pink**

_Pink promotes a feeling of gentle warmth and nurturing. _

Growing up, they weren't girly girls, by any stretch of the imagination.

They preferred boy games and boy clothes and adventure. They weren't afraid of getting dirty or hurt and the idea of things like earrings seemed absolutely pointless to them.

But then their mom came home with nail polish for them and something...something happened.

Painting nails was fun.

The first color they ever tried was pink.

Barbara painted Karen's nails for her, and then Karen tried painting Barb's fingernails and ended up making a mess on the couch cushion. At first, Karen had been afraid of getting in trouble, but then Barbara showed her a trick.

Barbara turned the cushion upside down, replaced it back on the couch, and smiled at her little sister.

They giggled together and by that night, they both had perfect pink nails and a secret to share.

**A/N: I have no idea where this one came from. I had never been tempted to write young Vick, and I never expected I'd ever include her sister. And it's pink, which is just weird. Despite that, this might actually be one of my favorites. After all, Vick said she used to be close to her sister...and this is one of those childhood bonding moments. **


	5. Madeleine and Green

**Madeleine and Green**

_Green is the color of harmony and balance. _

The first time he finger paints, he's four and his entire sheet of paper is various shades of green.

"What is it, Shawn?" Madeleine asks kindly.

"A green hippo."

Of course, it looks nothing like a hippo. It's just a mess of green, but Shawn looks so proud that she allows it. "It's great, Shawn." she tells him, and kisses his head. He beams in a way that only a four year old can manage.

Henry comes home later that day. Shawn totters up to him and proudly hands him the paper.

Henry looks down at it, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "What is it, Shawn?" he asks.

"A green hippo, Daddy."

And then, as Madeleine watches from the sidelines, Henry frowns. "_Where?" _he questions.

"Right there!" says Shawn, pointing emphatically at the center of the picture.

"Shawn, this isn't a hippo...you should try again and put some shape to it. At least make some eyes. And real hippos are grayish, not green."

"Henry!" Madeleine admonishes, watching her son's face fall into a look of disappointment.

She swoops in for comfort. "I see the hippo, Shawn. Daddy just can't see as well. He needs glasses."

"Oooh," says Shawn, understanding dawning on him.

"Your picture is so good, Mommy's going to put it on the refrigerator for everyone to see."

And so she does and Shawn smiles. "I'm gonna make some more!" he says excitedly, and hurries out of the room.

"Mad, you shouldn't tell him it looks like a hippo when it doesn't." Henry says as his son disappears.

"He's four. If he says it's a hippo, it's a hippo, Henry."

"Come on, now. He needs to _try, _Madeleine. He needs to develop his motor skills so that he isn't the laughingstock of kindergarten."

"What he needs is to have fun and have our support."

Henry shakes his head. "That still won't make it a hippo."

When Madeleine would think about it years later, she realized that that first picture was the perfect analogy for the family dynamic.

Shawn would always want a world where hippos could be green and have no eyes.

Henry would always expect more from Shawn.

And she, Madeleine, could only attempt to bridge the gap between them. She would be the one to put the picture up on the refrigerator, the one to soothe Shawn, and the one to soften Henry. She was the one trying to balance their lives as best she could.

In the end, the best she could wasn't enough.

**A/N: Starts off cute and then sorta strays into angst. Interesting. And I wouldn't usually write for Madeleine, but I guess I wanted another character to use a color on. :)**


	6. Buzz and Gray

**Warning:This one is by far the darkest, and has angst that deals with the tragic realities that come with being a cop. Only continue if I didn't scare you off. :P **

**Buzz and Gray**

_Gray represents fear, depression, and negativity. _

Sometimes, Buzz thinks that maybe people see him as always happy-go-lucky, always carefree and untouchable. He admits to being a mostly optimistic man, but that doesn't mean he's always happy.

Sometimes, people seem to forget that he _is _a cop. He's seen the horrors of the world, the tragedies. And he can't always be happy with memories like these.

The first accident scene he was ever called to was beneath a dark gray sky in the middle of a storm.

The rain was probably what caused the accident in the first place.

The kid was twelve and had probably already been on his bike when the downpour let loose. The driver was tired and the rain made it hard to see where he was going. He wasn't speeding or being reckless. He just...didn't think to pullover until the storm passed.

The kid, overwhelmed by the rain, had lost control of the bike. It swerved into the road, and that was it. It only took a few seconds for the impact to occur. In the end, there was no one to save, and only mourning families left behind.

Buzz would always remember that scene, even if he didn't want to.

After he got home that night, Buzz sank onto his bed, cursed the rain and his choice in career, and cried like a child into his pillow.

**A/N: Don't ask me why I felt like hurting sweet Buzz, because I have no idea. And I actually didn't get it quite out of my system, so there maybe another angsty Buzz story from me in the future...**


	7. Gus and Orange

**Gus and Orange**

_Orange represents energy, our ability to explore life, and our ability to express our experiences and new beginnings. _

"Shawn, I don't think we should be doing this. It's _illegal._"

"Just barely, Gus. It's fun. Other kids do it and they have a blast."

"What if someone gets hurt because we took it?"

"Dude, look at its placement. Does it serve a purpose? It's practically on the sidewalk, like they forgot it there. It doesn't direct traffic or stop anyone. It's probably trash!"

Gus had to admit that Shawn had a point. They were sitting in Gus's first car, Gus in the driver's seat, and staring at the curb of a long-forgotten back road. The orange traffic cone stood like a beacon, but it did not seem to serve any real purpose.

"Okay, we can do this." Gus decided, knowing that Shawn wouldn't let up until it happened.

"Awesome, Gus!" exclaimed Shawn, patting Gus's shoulder enthusiastically. His eyes were flashing with the thrill of what was to come. "And I think you should be the one to get it."

"What?" Gus exclaimed loudly. That was too much. "You want the cone! You steal it. I'm not risking getting arrested, Shawn!"

"Gus," said Shawn, eyes still dancing with excitement. "You need this."

Gus wasn't entirely sure what Shawn meant, but his best friend was serious in a way that left Gus at a loss for any reasonable argument.

Gus looked over his surroundings. There were weeds and broken sidewalk. In the distance, there were some run-down houses. But no people anywhere in sight.

The coast was clear.

Gus edged silently out of the car, keeping low to the ground. Shawn was laughing as he hurried over to the cone, but Gus didn't pay him any attention. When he reached the cone, Gus paused, looked around again to see if there were any people watching, then snatched it up into his arms. He ran back to the car, holding it against his chest. He jumped into the driver's seat, tossed the cone to Shawn, started the car, and took off fast, leaving the scene of the crime behind.

Shawn was practically glowing with unrestrained happiness and pride. "That. Was. _Great_."

It was definitely a thrill, and Gus couldn't help but smile too. He now knew what Shawn had meant when he said that Gus had needed this.

Because Gus did need it.

For just one moment, he had needed to live a life beyond rules and regulations. He needed to sneak around and laugh and feel adventurous.

Gus glanced over at Shawn, who was still beaming at him and sitting with the orange cone on his lap.

That was what the traffic cone really meant to the two of them. The orange cone was adventure, and Shawn was the only person in the world that could make Gus take it as his own.

**A/N: I do not condone stealing traffic cones...I swear. :) **


	8. Juliet and Gold

**A/N: Final chapter, my friends. :) **

**Juliet and Gold**

_Gold represents service to others._

Over the years, a lot of people have tried to describe Juliet as having a heart of gold. Her mom and dad especially liked to say it. "She's so sweet, always wants to help everyone. She really has a heart of gold," they'd say.

Even as a little girl, Juliet thought that was pretty silly.

She wasn't special. Her heart wasn't golden. If anything, it was the_ rest_ of the world that was golden, not her heart.

Every time someone acted especially sweet and genuine,_ they_ were golden. They were treasures, even when they didn't realize it.

Like when her older brother Ewan would lift her onto his shoulders to give her a piggy-back ride.

Like when her other older brother, Finn, would make up games with her.

Like when her father would kiss her goodnight, or when her mother would brush her hair.

And then later, after she moved to Santa Barbara, she still saw the gold within people.

Her partner was golden in his determination and loyalty.

Gus was golden with friendship.

Vick was golden in her strength, Buzz in his optimism, Henry with the love for his son.

And Shawn? Shawn was nothing _but _gold. Light and happiness and promise.

Juliet never once thought of herself as giving off that kind of perfect energy.

Until Shawn's lips touched hers in their first real kiss.

It was sweet, genuine, shy. It was honesty, stripped of false starts and guarded emotions. It was simple and affectionate and _them. _

And the moment was golden.

**A/N: Thanks for reading, and for all the reviews! :) **


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